DEARBORN, MI--Nov 8, 2013: Snakebit, a custom 1956 Ford F-100 with styling cues that salute the
great Shelby Mustangs, was unveiled today by KISS bassist Gene Simmons and
his wife, actress Shannon Tweed, as part of Ford Motor Company’s
display at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show at Las Vegas
Convention Center.

Snakebit is part of a fundraising effort to build a children’s
hospital in Tweed’s hometown of Saskatoon, in the province of
Saskatchewan, one of only two Canadian provinces without a dedicated
children’s hospital.

The project was originally conceived by Tom Foster, president of
Saskatoon-based customizer Industrial Machine & Manufacturing, as a
team-building exercise that could help raise funds for a new
children’s hospital.

Called Wheels of Dreams, the project to design and build the custom
truck was funded by the Ford dealer association in Saskatchewan. It will be
auctioned off in 2014 by Barrett-Jackson.

The winning bidder will get one serious truck. Under the sectioned
dual-skinned hood of the 1956 F-100 is a Ford Racing supercharged 5.4-liter
V8 breathing through a high-performance exhaust system. A six-speed manual
gearbox feeds the estimated 550 horsepower to the 20-inch rear wheels.

The wheelbase has been stretched five inches, while the box has been
widened and dressed with a billet machined floor to mimic wood. It is
topped with a custom tonneau cover. The headlights and sequential
taillights are custom-built, while 18-inch front and the 20-inch rear
wheels are also inspired by Shelby Mustangs.

The interior of this metallic gray beauty features handmade panels and
two-tone leather. The knobs on the leather-wrapped dash are custom, as are
the armrests. The leather bench seat, carefully contoured to match the look
of a Shelby Mustang interior, is from Glide Engineering.

“The Wheels of Dreams project symbolizes how people can come
together to meet the needs of our children and families by raising much
needed funds for the new Children’s Hospital of Saskatchewan,”
said Brynn Boback-Lane, president and CEO of the Children’s Hospital
Foundation of Saskatchewan. “Just like the hospital, this concept car
project started as an idea and a desire to do something better for our
community.

“What began as a grassroots idea, the volunteers and supporters of
Wheels of Dreams have turned into a major international fundraiser
opportunity that will ultimately benefit our foundation and the children of
Saskatchewan who require the services and care of a hospital,” added
Boback-Lane.